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HASTINGS & ROTHER RAINBOW ALLIANCE

Supporting the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) communities in Hastings and Rother
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Gay Helpline

Rainbow 		Health and Social Care

October 2011

Report from Kate Hardy, Homeshare Co-ordinator:
Homeshare has its first match!
We have recently made our first match, they have had their trial period and it is working well. The householder is an elderly lady with dementia (early stages) and the homesharer has recently finished a college course and is now looking for work. The homesharer is aware that this may not be long term but is keen to find another match if this one comes to an end.
We also have another match in the pipeline and are just waiting to confirm start dates which we hope will be in November. This is with an elderly couple and a mature student from Chile. The couple have realised that they need some extra support with things like shopping and cooking and a bit of tidying up and are hoping that with the homesharers help they will be able to do their shopping on line. This will be a big help as none of them drive and they won’t have to worry about heavy shopping. The Homesharer had accommodation through the university but this came to an end and she is staying with friends in Southampton until the match can start.
We currently have 6 householders waiting to be matched, they are in Ringmer, East Hoathly, Langney, Battle, Uckfield and St Leonards so if you are interested in becoming a homesharer please contact me and lets make matches. Adult Social Care is keen to hear the views of people who are using their services, and their carers, about the kinds of services and support they might like to see more of in the future.

Homeshare Details can be found on this document.

May 2011

Carers and Significant Others of substance misusers. This service provides support and information to those effected by another persons substance misuse. Their website is http://www.action-for-change.org/alcoholservices/for-carers/

March 2011

East Sussex County Council has looked at national and local research about the needs of older and disabled LGBT people - what matters to them and how social care and health organisations can meet their needs best. HRRA members were part of a steering group involved in the work. You can read the assessment here.


January 2011

East Sussex Adult Social Care is, in the light of budget cuts, planning to reduce the services they offer to people who need support in their own homes. Only those with critical needs would get any help under the proposed changes, and some people would have their services withdrawn. If you receive services from Adult Social Care, think you might need them now or in the future, or are a carer, these changes could affect you.  Please go to: http://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/yourcouncil/consultation/2011/communitycare/default.htm to see details of the consultation that is going on now until 16th Februrary, and to fill in the online questionnaire. In order to understand in more detail the implications of the proposed changes, do look at the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) link before answering the questionnaire. It is really important that as many people as possible join in this consultation as the changes being put forward, if implemented, will have serious consequences for very vulnerable people and those who care for them.

Update: East Sussex Adult Social Care have found the money to continue to meet the needs of people with substantial and critical needs. Their consultation bulletin says the following: “ After the consultation was launched on 5 January 2011 the department’s financial situation became clearer. A decision was made at the County Council meeting on 8 February that adult social care in East Sussex should remain available to people with substantial and critical needs. This meant that the proposal to only fund people with critical needs would not need to go ahead.”

November 2010 - 'Coming Out' Training DayTraining Q & A Panel Thumbnail

On 2 November 2010 HRRA organised a training day entitled 'Coming Out' for health and social care professionals, including operating staff and those responsible for policy and development. This was two half day sessions, totalling 38 attendees, and the purpose was to help staff understand better the needs of LGBT people. Our Vice Chair, Jackie, ran the training and was assisted by committee members, Teresa, who discussed trans issues, and Ambrose and Nadine, who sat on the question and answer panel. Feedback suggests that the day was a great sucess.

Pictures of the panel - Picture 1 - Picture 2 - Picture 3

April 2010 - Support With Confidence

This new scheme would welcome applications from LGBT people wanting to provide ‘gay friendly’ services. See details below:

SUPPORT WITH CONFIDENCE - NEW SCHEME LAUNCHING…
East Sussex Adult Social Care are working with Trading Standards to launch a new scheme to approve local providers of care and support services.
Applications are welcomed from:
- Personal Assistants (where people use their social care funding or their own money to engage people to support them)
- Cleaning and housework
- Shopping services
- Meal preparation or cooking in the home
- Meal services
- Daytime opportunities, such as leisure and recreational activities
- Community and mobility equipment and adaptation services
- Home repair & maintenance
- Gardening
- Taxi/transport services
- Pet services

To find out more about the new scheme, or to register your interest in attending the events please call Trading Standards - Support With Confidence on 01323 463440: supportwithconfidence@eastsussex.gov.uk

January 2010 - Meeting with East Sussex Service Development Manager

Nine of the committee and membership met with Claire Debenham, Service Development Manager, Equality, East Sussex Department of Adult Social Care, on 18 January 2010 at Horntye Park. Claire presented the meeting with information about the impending changes to the provision of Adult Social Care and we raised the following issues in relation to LGTB people.

· A lack of training for Adult Social Care staff can result in a serious lack of skills and understanding.
· HRRA can help Adult Social Care in relation to training, e.g. Conference being organised for 26 Feburary.
· There is a lack of visibility of LGBT issues in Adult Social Care Publications.
· There is a need for workers not to assume everyone is heterosexual and to find sensitive and supportive ways of helping LGBT people to ‘come out’ so that their particular needs can be met.
· There is a need to develop activities that LGBT users of Social Care services might want to engage in.
· Prejudice is common in older people’s forums and there is a need to tackle this.
· Although there are likely to be several thousand LGBT people in Hastings and Rother, it is difficult to identify those ‘not out’ and all LGBT people need to know that support is there.
· The new Social Care agenda should provide suitable support for LGBT people to find appropriate services. HRRA might have a role in this.
· It was suggested that there is a role for younger and entrepreneurial members of the LGBT community to develop gay friendly services: personal assistants, gardening services etc.
Claire will circulate her notes of the issues raised at the meeting to the appropriate managers in the Department and we will no doubt be having further contact with her and hopefully have some influence on how the ‘new’ Adult Social Care services can meet the needs and aspirations of LGBT people.

16 October 2009 - Older Peoples Needs

On 16th October HRRA ran the first of a series of workshops on LGBT issues. This one was on Older Peoples needs, The course was led by Trainer, Antony Smith, from Age Concern/Help the Aged England. It had a full complement of 20 people drawn from a wide variety of backgrounds; all professional people from statutory, voluntary and commercial agencies, who have the responsibility for assessing and supporting older people at home, in residential or sheltered housing. There was a waiting list to attend this course, and all those who attended gave positive feedback.

Hastings and Rother Rainbow Alliance is a Registered Charity (No 1134091)
 
Patron: Graham Norton
 
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